Cheating Battle
by rockmysocks456
Summary: How and why Loki learned the skill of magic. Pre-Thor. No slash, perhaps a bit of brotherly friendship later but no slash.


_*Just a little pre-Thor story on how and why Loki learned magic. May be mythologically inaccurate, but I'm okay with that. **READ AND REVIEW!**_

* * *

Loki flew through the air and came toppling down several yards away into a crumpled heap. Laughter burst out from the spectators who were watching on as they waited their turns. This was the practice ring, where all the warriors trained for battle. Loki had never been very good at hand to hand combat, but this was just embarrassing, because his opponent had been-

"LADY SIF WINS AGAIN!" Thor jeered prompting the roar of laughter from the stands to erupt once more.

"You alright, Loki? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Sif asked in such away as she approached him that he wasn't sure whether she was being sarcastic or sincere.

It was difficult to tell with her.

Loki brushed himself off, leaping to his feet, humiliated, "I'm fine, you just caught me off guard..."

Loki headed back towards the palace.

"Ah, Loki! Come back!" Sif called out somewhat apologetically.

"It's rude to turn away a lady, Loki! Even if she intends to kick your ass again!" Volstagg laughed.

Loki ignored them, storming back to the castle, bruised, bloody, and broken spirited. Loki detoured into the washroom on his way to his bedroom to have a look at the damage the LADY Sif had done. He studied himself carefully in the mirror. He took note of the split lip, bruised jaw, and bleeding head. All the by-product of a fight with a girl. Out of all the fights he'd lost, this had to be the most humiliating.

"There _must_ be something I can do... Some way I can... _Cheat_..." Loki muttered to himself, tracing the long cut that stretched from his left eyebrow up to his hairline.

"Have you considered magic?"

Loki jumped violently, staggering back, nearly losing his balance.

"For the love of Odin, Thor! Do you ever announce yourself?!"

Thor smirked as his brother held his heaving chest.

"Only when I wish to strike fear within the hearts of my enemies," Thor entered the washroom still smiling and continued, "A skill you seem to lack-"

"Shut up-"

"Have you considered magic?"

Loki hesitated, uncertain how to answer.

Thor explained, "Few can practice the art of magic and trickery, but I believe it's perfect for you, brother! Magic requires both an abundant source of intellect and a natural ability for mischief, two things you happen to excel in!"

Loki smirked skeptically. "And how might I go about learning such a rare ability?"

Thor scratched his head, thinking, "If I recall correctly there is a guide book in the palace library. I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out."

* * *

Loki spent hours studying the art of sorcery in the library. It was time to see the results. As it was late, probably 3 AM or so, nobody would be in the training room. So that's where he went. (_Take a deep breath, collect your concentration..._)He raised his hands together as the book had instructed.

If all went well this would conjure up a beam of energy to burst from the palms of his hands. _Pick a strong emotion._(_Let it fill you up..._)Loki racked his brain for a strong emotion.

_I got my ass handed to me by a lady_, he thought.(_STRONG emotion..._)Why was Thor so skilled in battle while Loki struggled so much. (_Good, STRONGER_...) They were brothers they came from the same gene pool... Right? (_That's it, getting closer... STRONGER_...) And why was it Odin favored Thor? Sure, Thor was a great warrior but Loki was the smart one. He'd always been the smart one... (_You got it. Use it_.)

An amazing feeling of complete euphoria spread like a wild fire through Loki's body. He felt an intense heat building in his hands. It didn't hurt, it was just... there. A ball of light was manifesting in his palms...

_I am the unwanted, the mistrusted, and the less talented son._

A sudden burst of blue light shot out of the luminescent ball in his hands, shooting across the room, burning a fairly decent sized hole in the opposing wall. And like that, the energy was gone. Loki stood there, breathing heavily and laughed weakly at his own power.

The laugh faded to nothing as the room vanished before his eyes. All that power, all that energy he'd just had pulsing through his veins was gone. The last thing he felt before darkness took him was his knees hit the floor.


End file.
